I grew up around guns of all kinds so I am comfortable with guns. What I am not comfortable with is a gun in the hands of an untrained person or anyone that doesn't have control of their emotions. A female choosing a firearm should use the same guidelines as a male. Don't get a gun that is more than you can handle repeatedly. A well-placed shot with a .22 is more deadly than a poorly placed shot with a .357 mag. Using a handgun at a longer distance, I prefer a .22 long, but for very close, my choice is a lightly loaded Colt .45. The best home defense is a shotgun with buckshot. A 12 gauge with double 30" barrels can create some ugly messes at close range. For distance shots, a .243 bolt action with a scope is my choice. My general all-purpose rife is the Winchester 30/30 lever action with iron sights. I actually fear kitchen knives more than I do guns. Never aim at anything you don't intend to shoot. Never shoot at anything you don't intend to kill. Never carry a gun that you don't intend to use if necessary. Never have a gun just to scare people. Make every shot count. Be proficient in rapid reloading. Those are the rules that I was brought up with and still fully subscribe.
I had a Winchester 30/30 in Oregon. The gun was so loud I'd lose my hearing after firing it. I sold it.
I like others here were born and raised in a time when this phobia of gun existed. I don't remember when I got my first gun but had guns all my life. My first hand guns were before the age of 16 and had many hunting rifles. When I went sailing had to get rid of them. They don't like you to have protection on you boat which is crazy but is when the phobia started. I had protection but not equal to a real fire arm. I had modified flare pistols and hand held crossbow.
@Ken Anderson So very true! These are the same folks who cannot use any other tool effectively, like a shovel! Frank
Most people who are apposed to gun usually are apposed or don't trust the government as well. So give your guns to the government???
Carrying a gun is having the power of life and death over others. It's a huge responsibility. I don't think these people like responsibility.
You reminded me of when you could go into a Western Auto Parts store and buy a .38 snub nose along with your air filter. I bought my first shotgun at Sears...it was the Ted Williams line.
Do I like guns? Sure! Here are my powder burners: (I also have air rifles.) Rifles: I forgot what rifle this was. Remington .223 Interarms .30-06 Winchester Model 94 .30-30. Me holding Auto-Ordnance Thompson Submachine Gun .45 cal. Handguns: Ruger Blackhawk Single Action Revolver, .45 Long Colt Ruger Mark II Target Pistol .22 cal (Wife's Gun) S&W Military & Police .357 Magnum Ruger Single Action Revolver, .22 cal.
I grew up with guns. My father got my brother and myself hunting. It was nothing to carry a rifle through town to go to the woods shooting. There is an episode of Father Knows Best where father and son went off target shooting. Won't see that today.
Absolutely FUNNY, but yesterday, during my wife's sister's visit to our apartment, I showed her our 9mm S&W handgun. There was a trigger lock on it. So, what did she say/do? She freaked! She demanded, "put that away!" I told her there was a trigger lock on it, but she wouldn't look. Then, I showed here the size of bullets that go into it (from the one at the top of the clip). She didn't want to look. She said "I hate guns!", even though she told me she has one at home. We think the one she has is the one her deceased husband left. I said "you told me you have one" and she said "I do, but I don't know how to use it and don't want to learn." Actually, after SIL left, wife and I had to laugh. Boy is this lady very, very different from my wife/her sister! My wife loves shooting and helping me load clips. Anyway, the SIL was driving back to So California from visiting her granddaughter in Kansas. She had a car rental and drove across Kansas to see us.
Very comfortable around firearms, they are a big part of my life, as I am a match shooter and pouting today as our big monthly match was cancelled for virus, our MD was positive so we to be safe cancelled it, mostly LE and doctors so most of us have been checked very often I am on 4-5 checks here. All but 1 was blood and have another one scheduled soon. I started shooting matches at 6 yo as a sub junior and never stopped. Most all my friends shoot with me and have for years.